Dona Ana County Clerk Gets Robust Response To Legal Aid Request

The Dona Ana County Clerk who is facing a challenge for his decision to issue same-sex marriage licenses has garnered close to $30,000 in donations.

Lynn Ellins has pulled in 556 donations totaling nearly $28,400 from a website.

That's about 75 percent of the estimated $40,000 goal Ellins says will be needed to defend against a lawsuit filed by a group of state legislators who've challenged in court his issuing of marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples.

Ellins issued the first licenses to same-sex couples on Aug. 21. He says around 225 licenses have been dispersed to date.